Value represents the core of real estate appraisal and is affected by multiple factors, most importantly the time dimension. This chapter, "Value by Date: Current, Past, and Future," aims to explore this time dimension and its crucial impact on real estate value estimation, within the context of "Fundamentals of Real Estate Appraisal: From History to Future."
The concept of value as a function of time is fundamental in real estate appraisal, as value is not constant but changes continuously in response to market fluctuations and surrounding economic and social conditions. Understanding how to estimate value at different points in time – whether current, past, or future – poses a methodological challenge for the real estate appraiser. Accurate value assessment is based on analyzing historical data, understanding the current situation, and anticipating potential future trends. Past value appraisals are often required in legal proceedings, such as divorce settlements or tax audits.
This chapter aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze and estimate real estate value in different time contexts, specifically to:
- Understand the importance of time as an influential element in determining real estate value.
- Distinguish between types of real estate value according to time: current value, past value, and future value.
- Develop the ability to estimate real estate value in the past, considering the availability of historical data and market shifts.
- Evaluate the challenges and risks associated with estimating future real estate value, focusing on the use of assumptions and hypothetical conditions.
- Understand the relationship between the valuation date and the valuation report date and their impact on the credibility of the valuation.
- Determine the importance of the purpose of the valuation and its impact on the valuation process and the final results.
- Understand the scope of the valuation and the importance of defining the assumptions and limiting conditions that affect the valuation.
- Determine the purpose of the valuation and the need to identify the beneficiary of the valuation.
- Recognize the impact of the purpose of the valuation on the valuation process.
Through studying these aspects, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how time affects real estate value and how to apply appropriate methods and tools to estimate value accurately and reliably in various time circumstances, enabling them to provide accurate and reliable real estate valuations that meet client needs and support sound investment decisions.